The Internet provides a benefit to applications and users through its broad connectivity. However, many applications, in addition to broad connectivity, require assurance of a level of transmission quality or quality of service (QoS). In unicast networks, reliable data transport is typically provided by mechanisms such as the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP). TCP provides for the retransmission of dropped or lost data packets. However, packet data delivery that involves multiple retransmissions may fail to support multicast networks or delay sensitive networks.